Supply Teaching is not a “Consolation Prize”

Don’t worry your not alone! All newly qualified teachers have these fears and concerns and many are not sure about whether supply teaching is credible or right for them. Why not clear your mind and take a few moments to read a few facts around working through an education recruitment agency.

What are the benefits of having a recruitment agency find a teaching job for you?

Once you have finished university there are 3 options you can take as an NQT. Firstly, get a permanent job in a school. Secondly, gain a temporary full time position with a school and last but not least supply teaching. Not many people know this but you can achieve all three of these routes through a recruitment agency, utilising their knowledge on local schools, contacts with head teachers and support on sprucing up your CV and interview techniques.

What do some NQTs worry about when working through a recruitment agency?

Not enough work

Supply teaching seen as failure because you haven’t got a permanent job

Not getting induction year done

Not enough support or training

No career progression

Bad for your C.V

Working far away from home spending a lot of money on traveling costs

All NQTs have these concerns but supply teaching has now become a well regarded and respected part of the industry. Recruitment agencies have adapted and evolved, those that specialise in working with NQTs have created a service that abolishes most fears that NQTs have after graduating:

Not enough work

By registering with an agency you can get day-to-day work whilst you are waiting for interviews on a full time or permanent position. If you find a reputable and busy recruitment agency and build a strong relationship with your consultant you will have more than enough work. You have more chance of finding work with a recruitment agency as they have relationships in schools and know where the work is.

Supply teaching seen as failure because you haven’t got a permanent job

Supply teaching is definitely not a failure – it allows you to choose when and where you want to work and how long you want to work there for. It doesn’t cost you anything to join a recruitment agency and their expertise and contacts will give a foot in the door – invaluable in this economic climate.

Not getting induction year done

You can complete your induction year whilst working through a supply teaching agency on a temporary contact. You can either do one full year in a school or spread your induction year over three terms in three different schools.This could benefit you because you will have 3 different experiences which shows prospective employers that you can work in different types of learning environments. An agency can find you a school that you want to do your induction year in rather than accepting the first school that offers you a job. or if you wanted to you can have an option of doing your induction year at 3 different schools for 3 different terms.

Not enough support or training

If you can find a supply teaching agency that offers training you can ensure you keep your skills and knowledge refreshed. If you are working for a school on a long-term temporary contract you will also get invited to their training. Don’t forget when working through a recruitment agency you will get your own consultant to support and guide you on your path into the teaching world.

No career progression

There is career progression in the teaching profession as a whole, working through a recruitment agency doesn’t limit your possibilities but increases them. Aspire People have a number of people that came to the company with no experience at all, we helped them get on to a teacher training programme, get their induction year placement and then a permanent job. These people are now heads of departments in schools.

Bad for your C.V

Supply teaching will only add to your C.V by giving you lots of experience in a vast array of schools. Supply teaching specifically is a great way to network with different schools and this leads to permanent opportunities.

Working far away from home spending a lot of money on traveling costs

If you find an agency where you have a local consultant then you will not have to go far for work. Make sure that their knowledge of the local area is strong. If you was travelling about then you can claim travel expenses.

On top of all this supply teaching in particular helps NQTs in many ways:

Allows an NQT to concentrate on what matters, the teaching

As an NQT being a supply teacher enables you to actually enjoy teaching without having to do the excessive burden of paperwork and administration involved with the profession. Agencies like Aspire People will make sure that your workload and responsibilities are reduced so you get more flexible hours and you can concentrate on what matters, planning and preparing lessons effectively and teaching the pupils with as much passion as possible.

Gives newly qualified teachers a breather

Switching to supply teaching can also be a great way to avoid burn out and give you the opportunity to decide if teaching is still the career for you. If you later decide to return to a permanent contract you’ll have teaching experience from a wide range of schools, this is attractive to prospective schools and colleges and Aspire People are able to provide references to any future employer. It also provides NQTs with work-life balance and part-time flexible hours allowing you to pick when you want to work.

Provides Teaching Continuity

All schools get staff shortages and the number of pupils that need teaching are rising. There will always be a requirement for supply teachers. Whether you are looking for day-to-day, supply teaching or want a longer term contract before taking on a permanent work Aspire People will find the best option for you. Aspire People offering you the best option is great it allows you to choose exactly where you want to work and how many days you want to be working a week.

Helps you balance home and work life

At Aspire People we make sure that a home and work life balance if maintained. For an NQT to enjoy teaching but still have the flexibility to balance home life or other commitments like completing a masters supply is ideal. Many teachers mix between doing permanent roles and supply to fit in with their other objectives in life without having gaps in your CV. It is no longer a profession for teachers that “can’t find a job”. This gives you a lot of time out of school where you can do things to help you progress your career as an NQT.